Liam Fox has welcomed Dundee United owner Mark Ogren’s public backing – but knows he could still pay the price at any moment with his job.
The Tannadice owner told Arabs on Wednesday there will be no immediate changes despite unrest among the fanbase with a section of the support calling for the removal of sporting director Tony Asghar and also, at times, Fox. The manager, however, knows things need to change quickly as United languish at the bottom of the Premiership.
Fox admitted: “It is good from the chairman to come out and say that personally. I am also under no illusions that football can change quickly. Twenty-four hours in football is a long time. I believe in the players and what I am doing. If we keep working the way we are working we will get our rewards at the end of it and get away form relegation. I believe that.
“We have stuck to our messages and work, there will be no radical changes, we are also short of bodies with injury as well. Moments like this you need to stick to what you believe in and that is what we are doing.”
Fox might be new to management but he is adamant he is more than able to take the heat.
“I think any football manager knows there’s a period of time where you’re vulnerable,” he acknowledged. "I know that, I knew that when I took the job but I am enjoying the job.
"I am enjoying the heat because if you don’t enjoy the heat and don’t enjoy the pressure, then you’re in the wrong job. Football management is up and down, it has been a difficult time for everyone at the club.
"We are under no illusions about the situation we’re in and I have had a lot of chats with the chairman about it. As far as I’m concerned it’s business as usual this weekend and we’re doing everything we can to get the three points.”
United are on a run of five defeats on the spin. They should have taken something from the St Johnstone game last time out but a late Mark Birighitti blunder cost them the points, the keeper was taken off with a shoulder injury. There were concerns it was a serious issue but Birighitti has recovered and now is back in training.
Fox confirmed: “The injury is not as bad as we all feared. It has settled down, he has got it x-rayed and checked and there is no break or dislocation.
"He still had some discomfort but he has got his strength back in it and has trained the last couple of days. Mark made a mistake last week, no player I have played with or coached has gone on to make a mistake.
"These things happen. There is nothing we can do about it now we just need to learn our lesson from it, Mark has been punished, we have been punished but we all move on from it, we all make mistakes.”
It leaves Fox with a major decision between Birighitti and youngster Jack Newman. The United boss stated: “Mark is older and has the experience and more games.
"I have said previously that Jack will go on and become a good goalkeeper. They are both training and fighting it out and I will see where it lands at 2pm on Saturday.”
County are also scraping for their lives and Fox expects a battle in the Highlands between the bottom two.
“It is a big game for both teams,” Fox claimed. “Every game is difficult in the league and you never know what you are going to get.
"They have an experienced manager and players. I think it will be tight and we need to come out on the right side of it.”
